Grassroots Diplomacy

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation – obtain all of the unbiased facts possible

• Jack is an American student working at a youth center in Kenya- working on a social venture
• Often works with the children at the youth center. Also works with the staff
• An international donor donated gifts to children under the age of 14 to a youth center in Kenya
• There were not enough gifts for all of the children. 4 children didn’t get gifts
• The staff members had allocated the gifts for the children and labelled them. Jack handed out the labeled gifts to each child.
• Jack spent 5 months at the center
• Hats were given to the kids who didn’t receive gifts. The kids did not like the hats.
• Kids think that the gifts are from Jack
• Jack discussed the gift situation with the staff. The staff thinks that Jack is making a big deal out of this matter but said that he can solve the problem.

Step 2: Define the problem and the stakeholders – those with a vested interest in the outcome

• Jack
• Kids who did not receive the gifts
• Staff members

Problem: There were not enough gifts for all of the children. Kids who did not receive kids now think it is Jack’s fault. Staff members do not think it is a big deal. But Jack does not want to ruin his relationships with the kids.

Step 3: Determine and distinguish between the personal and professional motivations of the stakeholders.

• Staff:
  • Personal: Want the children at the youth center to be happy. Don’t want to be blamed for not having enough gifts.
  • Professional: Concerned about Jack becoming a “children’s rights activist”. Aren’t too concerned about the gift issue.
• Children who received gifts
  • Personal: Happy that they received gifts. Think the gifts are from Jack. May feel bad for the kids who got hats.
• Children who did not receive gifts
  • Personal: Angry that they didn’t get actual gifts. The children blame Jack.
• Jack
  • Personal: He doesn’t want the children who did not get gifts to resent him. He wants to be well liked and respected by the children.
  • Professional: Concerned about the holistic growth of children. If the children feel being ignored, they might have low self-esteem.

 

Step 4: Formulate (at least three) alternative solutions – based on information available, to have a win-win situation for your relationship and your venture.

• Potential Solution 1: Jack uses his own money to purchase gifts for the remaining four children.

• • How does it solve the problem?

• • • Pros:

• • • • The children would receive gifts.
      • Jack would still uphold his status with the children.
    • Cons
      • Other kids for whom Jack won’t purchase gifts might feel left out
      • Jack will have to spend his own money.
      • Jack might be seen as a push over and they will start to take advantage of him.
      • Jack will be looked at differently with the staff because he went behind their backs.
  • How does it save face of those involved?
    • Jack would still be providing gifts for the remaining four children.
  • Implications on relationships
    • Short-term
      • Kids do not hate Jack anymore
    • Long-term
      • Kids might expect more gifts from Jack
  • Implications on the venture
    • Short-term: The children will think that Jack is
    • Long-term

• Potential Solution 2: Jack gives the black hat to the children.

• • How does it solve the problem?

• • • Pros: The four children still leave with a gift.
    • Cons:

• • • • The children think that Jack forgot about them.
      • The children did not receive a gift like their peers.
  • How does it save face of those involved?
    • The children are still walking away with something.
  • Implications on relationships
    • Short-term:
      • They are mad at Jack because they did not receive a gift like their peers.
      • They feel inferior to their peers.
      • They might be jealous or mad at their peers who did receive gifts.
    • Long-term:
      • They might think less of Jack’s character.
      • They might resent Jack for forgetting to get them gifts.
  • Implications on the venture
    • Short-term: Jack is not upholding a positive status with his kids. This may impact his goal of his social venture.
    • Long-term: Jack won’t be expected to buy the children something out of his own pocket (sustainable)

• Potential Solution 3: Jack provides the kids with some other form of a “gift” (special privileges like first in lunch line)

• • How does it solve the problem?

• • • Pros: Kids with hats feel better and like Jack more. People who work at the youth center will be ok with it because they aren’t spending money.
    • Cons: Kids who got gifts may feel left out. The children who did not get gifts may not want to be a line leader or receive another form of a gift.
  • How does it save face of those involved?
    • Jack would not be seen as someone who does not treat everyone equally
  • Implications on relationships
    • Short-term

• • • • Kids with hats feel cared
    • Long-term
      • Jack won’t be able to always treat kids with hats with privilege and kids might feel awkward about it
  • Implications on the venture
    • Short-term
      • Jack will resolve the problem without any extra resources
    • Long-term
      • He might be interfering with the youth center’s principles

Step 5: Select the best course of action – that solves the problem, saves face and has the best short-term and long-term implications for your relationship and venture. Explain reasoning and discuss your solution vis-a-vis other approaches discussed in class.

In my opinion, in this case the best solution would be to give the black hats to the children who did not receive gifts. I would incorporate a small aspect such as wearing the hat myself for several days. That way kids who received the black hats would feel special about themselves. Because even though I did not have enough gifts for them, I gave them the same hats I wear myself. This solution is better compared to the first solution as it does not bring any consequences after the solution is implemented. By that I mean that I would not buy anything out of my pocket and make the kids expect me to buy them something more at a later time. Also more disadvantages of the first solution include the first approach being not sustainable as I would spend my own money and I would not potentially worsen my relationships with the staff members as I do not want to be seen as someone who would try to oppose their methods of raising kids at the youth center. The chosen solution is also better than the third solution as it does not make other kids uncomfortable by giving the kids who did not receive gifts privileges. Not treating everybody the same might worsen his relationships with kids even more.

Step 6: List the sequence of actions you will take to implement your solution.

1. Give the black hats to the kids who did not receive gifts
2. Get the same black hat for myself and wear it next several days
3. After kids forget about the incident, proceed as planned 🙂